by Paul Hammes
There are 4-6 million individuals who have a diagnosed mental disability in the United States. With millions more around the world, there is a great need for ministry in this area. Including People with Disabilities in Faith Communities by Erik Carter dives into what ministry to these individuals looks like. Along with addressing many universally good ideas for a congregation, this book talks about the importance of including those with varying abilities. Just like for youth retention, a highlight is that those with any sort of disability should get involved with the Church and be an active member.
Growing up, my Church told us the slogan W.W.J.D. (What would Jesus do?). Despite being overused and maybe not the best question to ask all the time, it does provide good guidance in interacting with people. What would Jesus do when faced with a guest who has a disability? Well, He might heal them. We most likely will not do that, so the next thing Jesus would do is Jesus would love them. Much of ministry and following Christ boils down to how we love our neighbor. How do we love those in our community and Church that have a disability? How does the Church approach this conversation? These topics are addressed in Carter's book.
Being part of the Church is everything. Apart from the Church, there is no salvation. Being part of the Church means being part of Christ Himself. As members of the Church, it is important to minister to all people regardless of disabilities.